‘DJ loves football’: Daniels wants to be difference-maker in South Alabama secondary

There are nine players listed as safeties on South Alabama’s 2019 football roster, but only one of them is a senior.

DJ Daniels is set to be the Jaguars’ starting free safety this season, and one of the lone true veterans in that part of USA’s defense. He played extensively off the bench last season, totaling 41 tackles, two tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.

“DJ’s been a kid that’s always been bought in for us,” safeties coach Matt Kitchens said. “He’s becoming a vocal leader. But the thing that stands out the most is that DJ loves football. We like tough guys that love football and he’s one of those.”

Said head coach Steve Campbell, “He’s been a stalwart there for us. He’s a guy you can hang your hat on. Comes to work every day. Lot of talent, lot of ability and a great attitude. He’s kind of a quarterback on that back end back there.”

Daniels — a native of Riverview, Fla., in the Tampa area — has technically never started a game for South Alabama, serving as the primary back-up to Tobias Moss last season. Moss left as a graduate transfer for Old Dominion in the offseason, with Daniels securing the starting job in spring practice.

He’ll be part of a youthful safeties group that also includes junior Sterrling Fisher and Keith Gallmon battling it out at the boundary safety. Junior-college transfer Tré Young, redshirt freshman Taj Bickham and true freshman Jaden Voisin are also in the mix for playing time.

“Being the only senior in the group, I know I have to step up my role, take the younger guys under my wing,” Daniels said. “But having guys back there like Tré Young, Keith Gallmon and Sterrling Fisher is beneficial to our group. With those guys behind me and me helping them and them helping me, our group is going in the right direction.”

Safety has been a position of strength for the Jaguars the last few years, with Jeremy Reaves earning Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year honors at free safety two years ago. Senior Nigel Lawrence led South Alabama in tackles last season, with Malcolm Buggs and Moss also ranking among the team’s top six tacklers.

Daniels said he learned “the little things” from watching Reaves, Lawrence and others over the years, picking up “leverage and technique,” reading opponents’ tendencies and the art of studying film. However, Daniels has a few skills that aren’t teachable.

“He can really run and he likes to strike,” Kitchens said. “Those are two strong attributes that a safety needs to have. He does a good job of getting to the ball and delivering a hit when he gets there.”

South Alabama put up some of the worst defensive stats in the Sun Belt last season, allowing 59 touchdowns and more than 200 yards per game on the ground. Defensive speed was a big part of the problem, and the Jaguars set about trying to rectify that in the offseason.

Young and cornerback Devin Rockette were recruited out of junior college primarily for their speed, and Daniels is a faster runner than Moss was. Knowing where to go and getting there quickly could lead to multi-fold improvement for the Jaguars defense this season.

“There’s definitely more speed,” Daniels said. “With us playing with speed, that’s going to be an advantage for us.

“There’s a different swagger about the defense, a different energy. You can tell the core of our defense is one that could be amazing this year.”

• South Alabama practiced Monday afternoon, its final workout of the traditional preseason. After breaking Tuesday for the first day of fall classes, the Jaguars will begin installing the game plan for the Aug. 31 season-opener against Nebraska on Wednesday.